The board of the Vashon Island Soccer Club encourages island voters to vote yes this month to renew the Vashon Park District levy for the next four years.

This levy is the primary funding mechanism for supporting and maintaining our much-loved parks, facilities and related programs. Without the levy, valuable programs like youth soccer may no longer be available to the community in 2016 and beyond. We support the levy because we believe in the positive role of youth sports that depend on the parks and because of the broad array of park district resources and activities that are essential for a vibrant and healthy community.

We appreciate that the district has had challenges and respect the contributions from many different voices. The parks board members themselves represent a spectrum of perspectives, but they all agree that continuing this levy is essential.

The soccer club will continue our long partnership and strong commitment to growing a robust and sustainable park district with many benefits for all. Please join us in voting to renew the levy this month.

—Hans Van Dusen
President, Vashon Island Soccer Club